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TheWriter's Guideto Prepositions


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Graphic Design: Mlissa Laniel & Zac Harris

Copyright 1988byCharles N. Prieur and Elizabeth C. Speyer

All rights reserved
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

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PRE

POS

ITIO

NAR

Y



The one and onlyPrepositionary

The one and onlyPrepositionary

-

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Many times one preposition might seem logically just as right asa n o t h e r. And it is only that tyrannical, capricious, utterly incalcu-lable thing, idiomatic usage, which has decreed that this pre p o s i-tion must be used in the case, and that in another. . .

LO G A N PE A R S A L L SM I T H - WO R D S A N D ID I O M S

Prepositions... cause more difficulty... than any other aspect ofthe English language.

J.B. HE ATO N - PR E P O S I T I O N S A N DADV E R B I A L PA RT I C L E S

No parts of speech must be used more exactly than connective s( p re p o s i t i o n s ) . . .

R. VO O R H E E S - HA N D B O O K O F PR E P O S I T I O N S

The proper preposition is a matter of idiom; and idioms, if theydo not come n a t u r a l l y, must either be learned or looked up.

TH E O D O R E M. BE R N T E I N - TH E CA R E F U L WR I T E R

Note: We are indebt ed to all those we have quoted in our 'pre p o s i t i o n a ry'. We have attempted to re t u rn thef a vour by not only mentioning the authors of the quotations, but the source s as well; thus encouraging ourreaders to read, or refer to, their work s .

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PREFACE

DU R I N G his long career in adve rtising, much of it as a writer, Charles Prieur often re a c h ein vain for an instant help re f e rence work on the use of English prepositions -- one othe trickiest aspects of the language. He began collecting examples of right pre p o s i t i o

use in the course of his reading. And, as the file expanded to vast pro p o rtions, he asked himsel"Why not a book?"

But the book kept being deferred, until a mutual friend introduced him to Elizabeth Sp e yewhose career was education. In her work at the Centre for the Study and Teaching of Wr i t i n g

at the Faculty of Education of Mc Gill Un i ve r s i t y, Elizabeth had found that preposition usbaffled students, especially those new to the language. Preposition choice is capricious, re l a t eto meaning and nuance, and largely based on custom.

To g e t h e r, Charles and Elizabeth decided to organize a guide to prepositions in a handy diction a ry format, listing thousands of the most common words that present difficulty. The nam" p re p o s i t i o n a ry" suggested itself.

Interspersed among the mundane examples in the Pre p o s i t i o n a ry are quotations from mans o u rces: snippets of information, philosophy, and humour.

We are confident "The Wr i t e rs Guide to Pre p o s i t i o n s" will prove both ve ry helpful and ve ry easto use. It was designed to be so.

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A SPECIAL NOTE...

TH Ew o r l ds many languages are not the result of logical design. They evo l ved out of cut u re and tradition. W h e n e ver linguists have tried to impose order on wayward usage, thvernacular has always won out in the end. Which perhaps explains the failure o

Esperanto to take root. It was not born of the people. It has no music, no soul.

From approximately 50,000 words in the 16th century, English now greets the new millenniumwith an estimated 750,000 words. Although technology has prompted much of this increase, is the readiness of the language to assimilate useful words from other cultures that has nourishe

its growth over the centuries.

The Wr i t e rs Guide to Prepositions will prove invaluable, if good speech and lucid writing mater to you. Our p re p o s i t i o n a ry offers you more than 10,000 examples of the right pre p o s i t i o nfor the exact meaning you want to conve y.

The word preposition itself says that it pre-positions the thought or action that follows. For good example of this, consider the phrase: gathering in the corn. If gathering means harve s t i n gthen in is an adve r b, not a preposition, because it adds to the ve r b. If, howe ve r, gathering meanassembling, then in is a preposition, because it pre-positions where people are meeting, i.e. ithe corn.

Prepositions are not to be trifled with. The collision of two 747s in 1997, killing 583 peoplresulted from a misunderstanding over the preposition at. "At take-off" was understood by thair controller to mean that the plane was waiting at the take-off point; and not that it was actually taking off.

Using a wrong preposition will not often have such tragic consequences. But using the righp reposition will always be a source of satisfaction, and speak well of ones writing competence

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ABATE

The cleaning women are abatingthe noise of their vacuumcleaners byplugging their ears with cotton batten.

We can abate the smoke nuisance byhalf.

His anger will abate in intensity when he learns of yourcooperation.

Her pain was abated bya strong drug.

His voice suddenly abated to a whisper.

ABBREVIATE

She automatically abbreviates my written speeches bycutting out the first paragraph; almost always, for thebetter.

The exam was abbreviated byomitting an entire section.

She abbreviated his whole diatribe to one word: NO!

He was abbreviatingthe messagewith great skill.

ABHORRENCEWe share an abhorrence ofsloppy writing.

ABHORRENT

This idea is abhorrentto reason.

ABIDANCE

Abidance bythe regulations is obligatory.

ABIDEShe is abidingby(i.e. sticking to) our agreement.

He promised to abide by (i.e. adhere to) the rules ofgrammar.

Do you intend to abide (i.e. dwell) in this part of thecountry.

Abide with (i.e. remain faithful to) me! says thepsalmist.

ABILITY

His abilityatchess was exceptional.

His ability with darts was a byword in every pub inEngland.

ABOUND

Colonialism . . abounded in flags, exotic uniforms,

splendid ceremonies, Durbars, sunset-guns, tradeexhibitions . . postage stamps and, above all, colouredmaps. (Paul Johnson, A History of the Modern World)

Rocks abound underthe soil.

This lake abounds withfish.

I promise you: it is abounding withgame of all sorts.

ABREAST

I like to keep abreast ofthe latest news.

ABSCONDThe boy abscondedfrom the reformatory with the wardenscredit cards.

He will abscond withthe funds; I guarantee it.

ABSENCE

The students absencefrom class resulted in a failing grade.

The dolphin can report the absence ofobjects, as well astheir presence. (Louis Herman, Omni mag.)

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear notabsence offear. (Mark Twain)

ABSENT

God is absent from the world, except in the existence inthis world of those in whom His love is alive . . Theircompassion is the visible presence of God here below.(Simone Weil, Gateway to God)

AA

BATE - ABSENT 10

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ABS E NT EE

He was a conspicuous absenteef ro m the morning drill.

ABSOLVEShe was absolvedfrom her obligation.

The bishop absolved him ofhis sins. (rare)

ABSORB

Nutriment may be absorbed byplants into their systemthroughtheir roots.

Plants absorb moisturefrom the air.

When iron is absorbed in the small intestine, it isimmediately joined to the protein transferrin, whichshuttles it through the bloodstream, shielding tissues fromits harmful effects. (Terence Monmaney, Discover mag.)

She is absorbingall that information in small bites.

Between 1867 and 1899, Canada absorbed1.6 millionimmigrants into a population at Confederation of barelythree million. (Andrew Coyne, The Next City mag.)

ABSTAIN

True science teaches us to doubt and to abstain fromignorance.

ABSTINENCE

The negative side of virtue is abstinencefrom vice.

ABSTRACT (V)

To ascertain the truth, it was necessary to abstract (i.e.remove) a good dealfrom his account of the proceedings.

ABUT

The lane abuts against(i.e. runs alongside) the railroad.

The house abuts (i.e. fronts) on the street.

His property abuts (i.e. borders) upon mine.

ABUZZ

The brain contains between 10 billion and 100 billionneurons, each forming bridges to so many others thatthe brain is abuzz with as many as 1 quadrillion

connections. (Sharon Begley with John Carey and RaSawhill, Newsweek mag., Feb. 7, 83)

ACCEDE

There are over 60 covenants on human rights . . Chinhas acceded to 17 and the United States to 15 of them(Qian Qichan, Time mag., Aug. 11, 97)

When the monarch died, his eldest son acceded to (i.inherited) the throne.

ACCEPT

Having been accepted as an accountant, he moled hway into the secret organization.

His credentials have been accepted bythe company.The computer can a c c e p t data only i n a highlstructured (digital) form.(British Medical Bulletin, Oxford English Dictionary)

I accept(i.e. agree) to do that, but on one condition.

Legacies, or children of alumni, are three times morlikely to beaccepted(i.e. admitted) to Harvard than othhigh school graduates with the same (sometimes bettescores. (Michael Lind, Harpers mag.)

ACCEPTANCEThe assertion finds acceptance in every rank of society(M. Faraday, Oxford English Dictionary)

The only real freedom is in order, in an acceptance oboundaries. (Peter Ustinov)

ACCESS (N)

Each animal was kept in a small room, with access to aoutdoor exercise area. (National Geographic)

ACCESS (V)

He accessed (i.e. made his way into) the house by (othrough) a window.

I know she will access (i.e. enter) his apartment withthstolen key.

ACCESSIBLE

The fortress was accessible (i.e. approachable) from thseacoast only.

11 ABSENTEE - ACCESSIBLEA

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He was as accessible (i.e. available) to the humblest as hewas to his peers.

ACCESSION (N)

The a c c e s s i o n (i.e. addition) o f 90 new studentsovercrowded the school.

The populace rejoiced at the princes accession to (i.e.assumption of) the throne.

ACCESSION (V)

This skull was the oldest of its type ever found (2.5 to2.6 million years old). It was accessioned (i.e. recorded)under the number KNM-WT 17000 in the National

Museums of Kenya. (Pat Shipman, Discovery)

ACCESSORY

A person who conceals a crime is an accessoryafterthefact.

A person who incites another to commit a felony isconsidered to be an accessorybeforethe fact.

Though he escaped punishment, he was an accessory tothe crime.

ACCIDENTHer wealth was due to an accident(i.e. happenstance) ofbirth.

An a c c i d e n t (i.e. mishap) t o the machinery haltedproduction.

ACCLIMATIZE

She quickly became acclimatized to the new conditions.

He is acclimatizinghimself to desert conditions.

ACCOMMODATE

They were accommodated (i.e. given lodging) at thenewly-refurbished Ritz hotel.

His staff was usually accommodated (i.e. lodged) in motels.

We were forced to accommodate (i.e. adapt) ourselves toour circumstances.

She was always ready to accommodate (i.e. oblige) afriend witha loan.

ACCOMPANY

The child was accompanied (i.e. escorted) byher mother.

She accompanied (i.e. went with) him on all his travels.

Let me accompany(i.e. escort) you to the door.He accompanied (i.e. supplemented) his speech withgestures.

ACCOMPLICE

He was an accomplice (i.e. partner in crime) in themurder of the diplomat.

The police are searching for the two accomplices (i.e.associates in wrongdoing) ofthe thief.

ACCOMPLISH

She was accomplished (i.e. skilled) in all the social arts.

She accomplished (i.e. performed) the difficult task withspeed and efficiency.

ACCORD (N)

They were all in accord withhis decision.

ACCORD (V)

Wordsworth mentioned the glimpses of eternity accorded(i.e. granted) to saints.

The victims account of the accident accords (i.e. agrees)withyours.

ACCORDING

C o r rosion costs America $70 billion each ye a r,according to the National Bureau of Standards.(The Economist, 1988)

ACCOUNT

He gave an accurate account ofhis adventures.

ACCOUNT

The Columbia (river) and its tributaries account for(i.e. produce) o n e - t h i rd of all hyd ro e l e c t ric powe rgenerated in the United States.(William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways)

A ACCESSION - ACCOUNT 12

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The Higgs boson accounts (i.e. is responsible) for theorigin of all mass in the universe.(Larry Gonick, Discover mag.)

The bank clerk had to account to (or with) his superiors

every Tuesday.

ACCOUNTABLE

Man is accountableforhis acts.

He likes to pretend that he is accountable to no one.

ACCRETE

The poor live in . . the makeshift, vertical barrio that hasaccreted to suspension cables of the bridge.

(William Gibson)

ACCRETION

They jettisoned . . the embarrassing accretionsfrom theirpast. (Paul Johnson)

His book is an accretion ofcasual writings.

ACCRUE

Many advantages accrue (i.e. arise) from the freedom ofthe press.

All proceeds will accrue (i.e. accumulate and go) bynatural advantage) to him.

ACCUMULATE

In August 1986, bubbles of carbon diox i d eaccumulating atthe bottom of (Lake Nyos in Cameroon). . burst to the surface; a blanket of dense carbon dioxideand water vapor spread over nearby villages, killing cattleand 1,700 people. (Discover mag., Oct. 1988)

Im accumulatingstampsformy nephew in a large album.

Your discards are accumulating into quite a pile.

The maple leaves had accumulated underthe porch.

ACCURATE

You must be accurate in your calculations.

Todays best atomic clocks are accurate to one part in 10to the 14th power; but a super-cooled atomic clockshould be 10,000 times more accurate).(The Economist)

ACCUSE

The foreman accused the worker ofcarelessness.

ACCUSTOMYou will simply have to accustom yourself to his habits.

Ive grown accustomed to her face. (words of a song)

Im slowly accustomingmyself to this simpler way of lif

ACQUAINT

The couple became acquainted throughmutual friends.

Please acquainthim withyour plan.

ACQUAINTANCEClubs foster acquaintance between people with similavalues.

She is anxious to make the acquaintance ofany persowho shares her interests.

ACQUIESCE

Youre bound to acquiesce in his judgment, whatsoevemay be your private opinion.(Oxford English Dictionary)

Note: The use of to and withis obsolete(Oxford English Dictionary)

ACQUIRE

He will acquire it byhook or bycrook.

They acquired most of their mercenariesfrom Germany

One year into the First World War, Britain had tacquire32,000 pairs of German binoculars, throughSwiss intermediary. (John Grigg, The Spectator reviewinFirst World War by Martin Gilbert)

ACQUIT

The defendant was acquitted bythe jury.

The juryacquitted the man ofthe alleged crime.

Byacquittingthe executive ofall blame, the tribunal deaa serious blow to the companys morale.

13 ACCOUNTABLE - ACQUIT A

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ACT (VV)

A part of the brain called the hypothalamus acts asthe bodysthermostat. (Robert M. Sapolsky, Discover mag., 1990)

Why dont you actforhim?You are acting in a manner that invites criticism.

DNA is a long molecule that contains information onthe way four different components are strung togetherlike beads on a string. Thus, they act like letters in analphabet. The sequence of those letters forms sentencescalled genes. (David Suzuki, Montreal Gazette)

Interlukin-1 acts on the bodys central thermostat,causing a fever, which may depress viral activity andenhance the immune response. (Leon Jaroff, Time mag.)

Act towardshim as you do towards his sister.

The gastric juice acts upon the food we swallow.

He always acted withdecision.

Note: As for all VVs, this versatile verb can be followed bya variety of prepositions, whichever best describes theaction that follows.

ACTIVE

Storefront lawyers are active in the cause of justice.

Drug dealers are veryactive on that street.

Mother Theresa is active withher sister nuns in obtainingrelief for the poor.

One gland in particular becomes active understress.

ACTUATE

She was actuated bycompulsive curiosity.

He actuates the light witha snap of his finger.

The boy was actuatingthe cars starter witha stolen key.

ADAMANT

Yes, he was adamant on that. (John Le Carr)

ADAPT

The gun was adaptedforuse in hand-to-hand fighting.

His invention was adaptedfrom an idea conceived by hisfather.

Natural selection cannot anticipate the future and canadapt organisms only to challenges of the moment.(Stephen Jay Gould, Discover mag., Oct. 96)

A child adapts very quickly to his/her surroundings.

She was adaptingunconsciously to his body language.

ADD

I will also add a ribbonforthe effect.

The burning of Earths rain forests . . not only addscarbon dioxide to the atmosphere but also removes thetrees that would have absorbed it. The result is anaccumulation of heat-reflecting gases and an overallwa rming of the planet the greenhouse effect.(Jonathan Schell, Discover mag.)

When she added babys breath to the bouquet of roses, theeffect was magic.

He was addinginsult to injurybynot acknowledging herpresence.

That adds up to an insult, my friend.

ADDICT (V)

She was addicted to the music of Mozart.

What kind of monsters addictchildren to nicotine?

They were addictingunderage girls to morphine.

ADDICTION

I shared his addiction to Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

ADDRESS (N)

She showed great address in dealing with her opponents.

He exhibited the address ofan accomplished intriguer.

ADDRESS (V)

Eric Gill solaced himself by instructing his apprentices toaddress him asMaster. (The Economist mag.)

The president addressed (i.e. spoke to) the people in avoice laden with sorrow.

She addressed (i.e. directed) her remarks to the legislature.

He was addressing her as Mrs. Ames long before shemarried him.

ADEPT

She is adept atgetting out of trouble.

The parliamentarian was adept in the cut and thrust ofdebate.

ACT - ADEPT 14A

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ADEQUATE

His skills are barely adequateforthe job.

He proved adequate to the situation.

ADHERE

Paint adheres best to a clean, dry surface.

Some of this food is adheringto the pan likeglue.

Treason against the United States shall consist only inlevying war against them, or in a dher ing to th eirenemies, giving them aid and comfort.(Article 111, Section 3, Constitution of the United States)

ADHERENCE

His adherence to the cause proved to be his downfall.

ADHERENT

He is an adherent ofthe Conservative Party.

Adherents to Luthers principles were called Protestants.

ADJACENT

The two mens farms are adjacent to each other.

ADJUST

Just give me time and Ill adjustto this new life.

She adjusted to theatrical life likea born trooper.

Without gravity, the heart begins to relax, adjusting toits lower work load by slowing down and shrinking.(David Noland, Discover mag.)

ADMINISTER

She administered (i.e. dealt) a polite rebuff to the pushy

salesman.She administers (i.e. manages) our head office witha firmhand and an even temper.

ADMIRATION

I take place to no man in my admiration for DanRather. (James Brady, Advertising Age)

The prince . . is the admiration ofthe whole court.(The Oxford Universal Dictionary)

ADMIT

They have admitted (i.e. accepted) me into their ranks.

His problem did not admit of(i.e. permit) a solution.

When will they admityou to (i.e. allow you to take) thbar exams?

Confessing your crime to a priest is quite different fromadmittingit to the police.

ADOPT

The players adopted it astheir mascot.

He adopted little Harrywithtrepidation.

ADORN

If you let him, hell adorn the statue of David witha fig lea

The emperor adorned his castle withthe spoils of war.

ADRIFT

The boat was cut adriftfrom its moorings.

Our skiff is adrift on the lake.

ADVANCE (N)

Every greatadvance in science has issued from a newaudacity of imagination.(John Dewey, Forbes mag., 1970)

Thats certainly an advance on last years proposal.

ADVANCE (V)

He worked very hard to advance himself in his profession

I regret to report they advanced on the city last night.

He kept advancingon her, and she kept backing away.

Our football advanced to the 30-yard line this time.

Lets advance towardthe town tonight.

ADVANTAGE

She has the a d vantage o f Mrs. Jones, who impoverished. (British)

I would take advantage ofthat situation, if I were you.

You have the advantage over me ; I dont know you(North American)

The advantage to him was plain.

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ADVANTAGEOUS

It would be advantageousforthem to buy time, but notfor me.

Thats certainly advantageous to us.

ADVERSE

Being adverse to a person or a thing reflects opposition.

ADVERT

Mac then adverted to last years disaster.

Im advertingtowhat you told me last night.

ADVERTISEIn the early 1930s . . when Amtorg, the Soviet tradingagency, advertised for1000 skilled workers, more than100,000 Americans applied.

She is nowadvertisingher language school on Internet.

He took every opportunity to advertise her in Voguemagazine.

I would advertise this product to the 20-to-35 age group.

ADVICE

Myadvice to you is to avoid confrontation.

ADVISE

I will advise (i.e. inform) him byletter ofthe loss of the ship.

Our experts are here to advise (i.e. counsel) you on anycomputer problem.

ADVOCATE (N)

He was the principal advocateforthe huge conglomerate.

The new political candidate is an advocate ofelectoralreform.

We have an advocate withthe Father. (1 John ii.1.)

ADVOCATE (V)

As a lawyer, he advocatesfor(i.e. defends) a number ofblue chip firms.

The soap box orator was advocating(i.e. recommending)group action to his only listener.

AFFECT

The vibrations are affectingher at night, after she hasgone to sleep.

He is affected bybad weather.Psychological conditions affect the welfare of peoplethroughthe immune system. (Rita Levi-Montalcini)

Bachs music affects me in my innermost being.

AFFILIATE (N)

The department store is an affiliate ofa nation-widechain.

AFFILIATE (V)

The group decided to affiliate w i t h the nationalassociation.

Note: with(American); to (British)

AFFINITY

There is a strong affinity between music and dancing.

An affinityfor is confined to scientific usage. Onesubstance is said to have an affinityforanother when ithas a tendency to unite with it.(Frederick T. Wood, English Prepositional Idioms, publishedby MACMILLAN)

When Pre Armand David, the great French explorer-priest, acquired the Western worlds first great panda in1869, he never doubted its evidentaffinity withbears.(Stephen Jay Gould, Discovery) Note: Never to

AFFIX

So why dont you affix(i.e. attach) this to your will?

Theyre affixingthis warning sign to every trailer in the

country.

AFFLICT

FM stereo was the only high-fidelity audio mediumafflicted withbackground noise.

Afflictingus withhis presence, the politician proceededto monopolize the conversation.

AFOUL

He was often afoul ofthe law.

ADVANTAGEOUS - AFOUL 16A

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AFRAID

He was afraid ofhis own shadow.

She was afraid towalk home in the dark.

AGE (N)

You cant get married in that country under the age ofeighteen.

AGE (V)

I have the Christmas pudding ageinginwine.

That meat is aged to perfection.

AGGRIEVEDShe was aggrieved atbeing overlooked for the part.

They were aggrieved bythe attitude of their relatives.

AGHAST

They were aghast athis negligence in the matter.

AGITATE

She spent her life agitatingforequality.

We will agitatefora new contract starting tomorrow.

AGOG

They were all agog aboutthe latest gossip.

AGONIZE

They are agonizingoverthe scathing review.

She agonized withhim throughoutthe dismal third act.

AGREE

They agree aboutthat, but nothing else.

They agreed amongthemselves.

The principles to be agreed byall.(Bacon, The Oxford Universal Dictionary)

He agrees on the course to be taken. Were sure she willagree to that.

History, said Napoleon, is a set of collectively agreedupon lies.

An intellectual is not necessarily a man who iintelligent, but someone who a g re e s w i t h o t h eintellectuals. (Edward Teller, Discovery mag.)

They agree (i.e. reconcile) their budgets with the

accountants every six months. (The Economist)

Can you believe it? Shes agreeingwitheverybody.

AGREEABLE

I am agreeable to your plan of action.

AGREEMENT

I am in full agreementwithyou.

AIMAs late as 1931, the United States had a war plan aimeatthe British Empire, Navy Basic Plan Red.(Paul Johnson: A History of the Modern World)

The girl aimedforthe target but broke a window instea

The reason laser light works so well in everything fromCD players to surgery is that its coherent that iordinary separate photons of light merge to make onpowerful light wave that can be aimed with terrifiprecision. (Discover mag., July 1998)

AKIN

The tribes are akin in their warlike nature.

Your words were akin to a slap in the face.

ALARM (V)

I am alarmed atthe present state of affairs.

The parents were alarmed by the rise in crime in theneighbourhood.

The child was constantly alarmingus byrunning a feveDo not alarm me withthese possible disasters.

ALARM (N)

My alarm at the news that soldiers were approachinspread like wildfire.

ALERT(A)

The squirrel is veryalertin its movements.

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Phagocytes (white blood cells) constantly scour theterritories of our bodies alert to anything that seems outof place. What they find, they engulf and consume.(Peter Jaret, National Geographic/Readers Digest)

ALERT(V)

I had to alerthim to the danger.

ALIEN (A)

The segregation of the blacks in South Africa was alien todemocratic principles.

ALIEN (N)

They claimed to have seen an alienfrom the planet Venus.

ALIENATE

She was alienatedfrom her own society byits treatment ofthe unfortunate.

He alienates (i.e. turns off) everyone bytalking down tothem.

Theyre alienating(i.e. disaffecting) the whole world bybullying that small nation.

Enemy property was alienated (i.e. transferred) duringthe war. (World Book Dictionary)

ALIGHT

He is alighting(i.e. getting off) atevery bus stop alongthe way.

She alightedfrom (i.e. got out of) her car and ran into thehouse.

The robin alights (i.e. lands) on that mailbox everymorning.

ALIGN

Germany was aligned withJapan in World War II.

I think Jordan is aligningherself withIraq this time.

He would rather align himself withme than againstme.

ALIKE

The specimens are alike in kind.

ALIVE

The painter was at the top of his form, alive in every fiberof his being.

The missionarys religion was founded on the convictionthat we should be alive to every noble impulse.

Her eyes were alive withhope.

ALLEGIANCE

The leaders depended upon the allegiance ofthe citizensto the legitimate government.

ALLIANCE

The United Nations was designed to eradicate the needfor militaryalliances between and amongnations.

The Indian chief made an alliance withthe neighboringtribeforthe defense of their respective lands.

ALLOCATE

They allocated their resources to new tasks.

Canada is allocatingher extra wheat to North Korea.

ALLOT

The director was authorized to allot (i.e. allocate) extrafunds t o the company f o r the specific purpose ofcompleting the railroad link.

Ten years I will allot(i.e. apportion) to the attainment ofknowledge. (S. Johnson, O.E.D.)

A certain amount of food was alloted (i.e. allocated) toeach platoon.

How much of that shipment are you allotting (i.e.allocating) to me?

ALLOWAstronomers, in their calculations, must allow(i.e. makeprovisions)forthe pull of gravity.

The researcher is willing to allowof(i.e. permit) otherhypotheses.

He allowed (i.e. granted) 10% of his annual income toeach of his wives.

ALERT - ALLOW 18A

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ALLUDE

This passage in the Bible evidently alludes to the JewishPassover.

ALLURE

Allured byhope of gain, the prospectors risked their liveson the mountain pass.

It was hoped that the promise of heaven would allurepeoplefrom evil to good.

ALLY

The quarreling states at last decided to allyagainsttheircommon enemy.

In his mind, this treaty was allied to territorial expansion.(Federico Garcia)

Lorca understood that any artist who alliedhimself toocloselywitha political ideology died as an artist, becamelittle more than a talented propagandist.(Neil Bissoondath, Montreal Gazette)

He is allyinghimselfwith anyone who buys him a drink.

You allyyourself to things, but withpeople.

ALOOF

He stood alooffrom the rest of his family.

She used to be rather aloof withstrangers.

ALTERING

By 2040, the altering ofgenetic material in embryocould eliminate more than 3000 genetically-deriveddiseases. (Life mag.)

ALTERNATE

He alternated between scolding and praising.Here, floods alternate withdroughts.

ALTERNATIVE

We were given the alternatives ofleaving town or beingshot.

The alternative to functioning mitochondria (such asthose in the human cell) is called death.(David Clayton, molecular biologist, Discover mag.)

AMALGAM

The plan was an amalgam ofsound ideas and foolisnotions.

AMALGAMATE

He amalgamated the gold and silver into an alloy.

They decided to amalgamate withthe larger company.

She is amalgamatingher plans withhis.

AMASS

He amassed a large fortune byfair means and foulforthpurpose of exerting political control.

AMATEUR

The boy was an amateur(i.e. not an expert) atchess.

He remained an amateur amongprofessional athletes bnever accepting a salary.

Although she has had every opportunity to study, shremains an amateur(i.e. a dilettante) in the arts.

He was an amateur of(i.e. had a fondness for) the morexotic sports.

AMAZEHe was amazed (i.e. surprised) atthe crowd.

She was amazed (i.e. bewildered) byhis magic skills.

The gymnast was constantly amazingus withhis feats ocontortion.

AMAZEMENT

I was filled with amazement atsuch reckless daring.

AMENABLE

The problem is not amenable to mathematical analysis.

AMOUNT (N)

What is the amount ofher bill for groceries?

AMOUNT (V)

That amounts to very little in practical terms.

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AMPLIFY

The professor was requested to amplify his lectures byillustrating them.

The lecturer amplified on so many themes, that theaudience lost the gist of his presentation.

AMUSE

He was amused atthe birds efforts to escape

The children were highly amused bythe clowns antics.

Amuse the babywiththat rattle.

ANAGRAM

His pen name is an anagram ofhis real name.

ANALOGOUS

Einsteins observations on the way in which, in certaincircumstances, lengths appeared to contract and clocksto slow down, are analogous to the effects of perspectivein painting.(Paul Johnson, A History of the Modern World)

ANALOGY

Theres an analogy(i.e. equivalency) between the militarycareers of Hitler and Stalin.

The child is the analogy(i.e. simile) ofa people yet inchildhood. (Lytton)

He explained an electrical current by drawing an analogy(i.e. comparison) witha flow of water through a pipe.

Some still bear a remote analogywith (resemblance to)their Mongolian ancestors.

ANALYSIS

They made an analysis ofthe situation before proceeding.

ANATHEMA

An unorthodox approach is anathema to many in the arts.

ANCHOR

After anchoringhis boat bythe buoy, he swam to shore.

I will anchorthe barge nearthe boathouse.

The boat seemed to be anchored to its own shadow.

ANGER

Anger atthe insult prompted his acid reply.

Anger towardthe offender exaggerates the offense.

ANGLE (N)

The navigator sites himself in global terms, evenuniversal ones, measuring the angles between his shipand the equator, the sun, the stars and the hypotheticalm e ridian which stretches north and south fro mGreenwich to the poles. (Jonathan Raban, Coasting)

ANGLE (V)

I was too busy trying to angle (i.e. direct) the bow of the

boat into the next wave to be frightened.(Jonathan Raban, Coasting)

For some years now, the Soviet Union has been angling(i.e. trying slyly) to detach Japan from the western powers.(London Times, World Book Dictionary)

Whether angling(i.e. fishing)forbig ones or going afterbream in a lake, good fishing is only minutes away frommost Southern cities.(Time mag., Oxford English Dictionary)

ANGRYI was not so much angry withher as atwhat she haddone.

Note: Its angrywitha person, but ata thing.

Get angryaboutthe political corruption you observe.

ANIMADVERT

The critic was wont to a n i m a d ve rt o n (or u p o n)untrained performers.

ANIMATE

His remark was animated (i.e. motivated) bymalice.

The teacher animated (i.e. enlivened) the lesson withwitty comments.

ANIMUS

His animus againstthe Church was obvious to everyone.

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ANNEX

Britain ann e xed Labrador to Newfoundland on theflimsiest of pretexts.

ANNEXATION

Most we re in favour of annexation t o the largerneighbouring country.

ANNOUNCE

They are announcingit in the newspapers?

The butler was told to announce each guest in a loudvoice.

I will announce it on (or over) the radio. (Note: but onlyon TV)

The birth of a grandchild was announced to the family byphone.

ANNOYED

She was extremely annoyed aboutthe damage to her frontdoor.

I was annoyed athim for arriving late.

They were annoyed byhis persistent coughing.

He annoys her in church bypraying aloud.She was annoyinghim withher endless questions.

I was annoyed withhim for bringing up the subject.

ANSWER

She had a different answerforeveryone.

He refused to give a direct answer to my question.

ANSWER

I cannot answer(i.e. be responsible)forhim.

In every mans heart, there is a secret nerve thatanswers(i.e. responds) to the vibrations of beauty.(Christopher Morley)

This man answers to (i.e. matches) your description.

You will have to answer to me, my boy (i.e. you areresponsible to me).

She answered (i.e. replied to) my question withan insult.

ANSWERABLE

You are answerable to meforthe safety of the ships crew

ANTAGONISTICThe nationalistic spirit was the main force antagonistic t(or towards) the ruler s schemes.

ANTECEDENT

Contrary to the report, the tremors were antecedent tthe quake.

ANTERIOR

They lived in ages anterior to the Flood.

ANTIDOTE

The public health authorities could find no antidotagainstthe new mysterious malady.

Economic opportunity is a good antidote for socidiscontent.

Is there a universal antidote to snakebite?

ANTIPATHY

They shared an antipathy to the avant-garde novelist.

ANTITHESIS

Exploitation of ones fellows is the very antithesis oChristianity.

ANTITHETICAL

The guild mentality of doctors is basicallyantithetical ttheir oath.

ANXIOUS

The mother was anxious abouther childs health.

Shes anxious at the delay involved in the processing oher passport.

The parents were anxiousforthe safety of their young ithe sailboat.

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APATHY

The students apathy towardtheir studies was justified bythe limitations of the school program.

APOLOGIZE

You should apologize to the guestforyour oversight.

APOLOGY

I think you should make an apologyto your mother.

APPAL

They were appalled atthe idea of being bussed to school.

I was appalled bythe prevailing conditions in the mine.

APPARENT

Their guilt is apparent in their every gesture.

His guilt was apparent to all.

APPEAL (N)

The householders who had lost everything in the floodmade an appeal (i.e. a call)forassistance.

The law provides for an appeal (i.e. a calling to account)from a lower to a higher court.

APPEAL (V)

He (Gandhi) is a man of God. You (Winston Churchill)and I are mundane people. Gandhi appealed to religiousmotives. You never have. That is where you have failed.(General Smuts)

She appealed to him withall the wiles she could muster.

APPEARHe hopes to appear among the first names listed aspassing with honours.

The general will appear atthe front withall the insigniaof his rank.

You are summoned to appear beforethe court.

The submarine appeared below the surface near theharbour.

It would appear(i.e. seem)from the reports that there areno survivors.

Within just a few millions years (of the Cambrianexplosion), nearly every major kind of animal anatomyappears in the fossil record for the first time.(Stephen Jay Gould, Discover mag., 1989)

There are no street names (in Tokyo). All streets areanonymous: street names do not appear on any map.(Josh Freed, Montreal Gazette)

If you are patient, the sun will appear throughthe mist.

The bacteria will appear t o the eye t h ro u g h t h emicroscope.

The geologist was certain that rich mineral depositswould appear underthe next layer of rock.

Note: As for all VVs, this versatile verb can be followed bya variety of prepositions, whichever best describes the

action that follows.

APPEND

The secret codicil was appended to the billionaires will.

Why dont you append that glossaryto your Chronicles?

APPENDAGE

The tail is an appendage ofthe tadpole; it is graduallyabsorbed in the process of metamorphosis.

APPENDIX

The appendix(i.e. addition) to his book is detailed andhelpful.

APPETITE

Emily Carr had an appetiteforthe beauty of the forests ofBritish Columbia.

APPLICATION

All applications (i.e. requests)fortickets must be made tothe Registry.

The application (i.e. use) ofwhat you know will enlargeyour understanding.(John Le Carr, The little drummer girl)

APPLY

The idea was a clever one, but it would have to be applied(i.e. put into practice) byexperts.

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APPROXIMATE (A)

Ten minutes of stretching exercises is approximate tohours on the golf course. (Brit.)

APPROXIMATE (V)

His methods of government began to approximate to hispredecessors.

APPROXIMATION

Five hundred miles is an approximation ofthe distancebetween the two cities.

The prosecutors indictment was a close approximation tothe truth.

APROPOS

Ap ropos o fnothing, she suddenly interrupted theproceedings.

APT

She is veryapt(i.e. skilled) atdarning socks.

The time was aptfor(i.e. appropriate to) reminiscence.(Evelyn Waugh)

He is apt(i.e. likely) to lose his temper.

ARCH

The darkening sky was a rched w i t h a shimmeringrainbow.

ARGUE

In the Army, we were enjoined not to argue aboutreligionor politics.

Instead of arguing against everything, why dont youargueforsomething for a change?

To argue that there is a guiding intelligence behind,above, or within the universe is not the same as arguing

fora benign, personal Deity.(Patrick Glynn, National Review mag.)

He spent his life in swivel chairs, arguing withdictatingmachines.

ARISE

Cancerarises from a number of insults to the DNA (themaster molecule of life). Viruses are one insult. They

start the process rolling. (Claudia Wallis, Time)What fascinates me is this (re human embryo) . . Theegg gets fertilized. The cells start dividing. Some end upas fingernails. Some end up as the liver. And thenconsciousness arises out ofit. How?(Dr.L.E.H.Trainor, professor emeritus, Univ. of Toronto)

Do you believe that trouble will arise overthe final score?

ARM (V)

A vaccine is a small dose of a natural (though dead or

weakened) virus meant to stimulate the immune systemto make antibodies, and thus to arm itselfagainstlaterinvasion by that virus.(Cambridge University, Mass., The Economist)

He armed his menforan assault on the bridgehead.

Trawler skippers, grand as kings, standing on bollardsa rmed w i t h whistles, raising a scratch crew for avoyage.(Jonathan Raban, Coasting)

ARMOUR, ARMOR

Its the bodys armoragainstinfection.

ARRAIGN

The felon was arraigned atthe barforhis crime.

The young man was arraigned on a charge of vandalism.

ARRANGE

The wine bottles were carefully a rranged around apyramid of crystal wine glasses.

There is a universal tendency for things to be arranged(i.e. constructed) in the least intricate, most probableway. The characteristic of life is that it works against thistendency, creating complexity where there was none.(James Lovelock, The Economist)

Please arrange (i.e. plan) for the wedding on the lastSaturday of this month.

Type: a stands for adjective; adv for adverb; n for noun;ppl.a. for past participle adjective; v for verb; and vvfor Versatile Verb.

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ARREST (V)

The youths were arrested by the police forthe crime ofarson.

He was arrested in school.You cannot arrest a citizen on suspicion of a crimewithouta warrant.

ARRIVE

The wedding party arrived atthe church in good time.

Will they arrive byplane?

Board a Boeing 747 in New York and there is roughlya 99.9999% chance that you will arrive safely inLondon. (The Economist)

The fire brigade arrived on (or upon) the scene and soontook charge.


ASCEND

The rocket ascended beyond ourview.

The scientific establishment reveals its basic bias whenit says that man descended, instead ofascended,from the

monkey. (Charles N. Prieur)In 1930, in (French) Indo-China alone, there werenearly 700 summary executions. If Gandhi had tried hispassive resistance there, Ho Chi Minh wrote, he wouldlong since have ascended into heaven.(Paul Johnson, A History of the Modern World)

The explorers will ascend the river to its source.

ASCENDANCY

She hated his ascendancy overher.

ASCRIBE

Schizophrenics . . have . . an unfamiliar odor, recentlyascribed to trans-3-methylhexanoic acid, in their sweat.(Lewis Thomas, The lives of a cell)

ASK

The travel agent asked aboutour itinerary.

Hoover had asked Rudy Vallee in 1932 for an antDe p ression song; the wretched fellow pro d u c eBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?(Paul Johnson, A History of the Modern World)

Napoleon always asked of his generals, I know hegood. But is he lucky?

ASPERSION

I can do without your aspersions on my reputation.

ASPIRANT

There are numerous aspirants for the post of theatrdirector.

ASPIRE

He aspires after(i.e. covets) fame, not truth.

If youaspire to (i.e. reach for) the highest place, it is ndisgrace to stop at the second, or even the third, place.(Marcus Tullius Cicero)

ASSAULT(N)

The assault on the truth by such propagandists aGoebbels can have tragic consequences. Words ought t

be somewhat outrageous for they are, after all, assaultof thoughts on the unthinking. (John Maynard Keyne

ASSEMBLE

The hikers were instructed to assemble ata fork in the trai

The teacher assembled all the children in the primargradesfora picnic.

We havent yet learned how to stay human wheassembled in masses. (Lewis Thomas, The Lives of a Cel

There is an inherent tendency of matter to assembitself, in an orderly way, into more and more compleforms, as though the desire to attain consciousness anpersonal relationship were built into the nature omatter itself. (Lewis Thomas, The Lives of a Cell)

The dancers have been requested to assemble on stage.

ASSENT

He nodded his assentto the task.

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ASSENT

Would you please assentto our suggestions witha nod ofyour head?

ASSIDUOUS

Ive always been assiduous in my duties.

ASSIGN

Why dont you assign that workto me?

ASSIMILATE

He was careful to assimilate his behaviour (i.e. conform)

to that of his neighbours.I am foreign material, and cannot assimilate with (i.e.become incorporated into) the Church of England.(J.H. Newman)

ASSIST

They assisted asspectators rather than asparticipants.

Cornelius Mussus assisted atthe Council of Trent.

He wanted to assistme in my observations.

Could you assist a poor man with a copper, Sir?

(Oxford English Dictionary)

ASSOCIATE (N)

The chief engineer was an associate ofthe architect in theconstruction of the stadium.

ASSOCIATE (A)

Many of the traits associated withType-A behaviour,including fast-paced speech and eating, and a sense ofurgency about time, do not seem to increase the risk ofheart attack . . Only hostility appears to be related todisease. (Redford Williams of Duke University)Note: never associated to

ASSOCIATION

Most of the associations between the living things weknow about are essentially cooperative ones . . It takeslong intimacy, long and familiar interliving, before onekind of creature can cause illness in another.(Lewis Thomas, The lives of a Cell)

A university should function as an association ofscholarsfor the advancement of knowledge.

Close association withgood literature develops both themind and the spirit.

ASSUMPTION

Atheism is abnormality. It is not merely the denial of adogma. It is the reversal of a subconscious assumption inthe soul; the sense that there is a meaning and adirection in the world it sees.(G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man)

He dreamed of a sudden assumption (i.e. elevation) intothe heady community of the elite.

The acting manager bustled about with an assumption

(i.e. appropriation) ofauthority.

ASTERN

He maneuvered his sloop slightly astern ofthe leaders.

ASTONISH

They were astonished athis doing such a thing.

The people were astonished athis doctrine.(Bible: Matthew 7:28)

You will be astonished bythe musical ability of this childprodigy.

The magician will astonish the audience withhis tricks.

ASTONISHMENT

Imagine their astonishment athis sudden wealth and fame.

ASTOUND

Werent you astounded attheir giving up so quickly?

I was astounded byhis skills as a magician.He liked to astoundhis readers withparadoxes, such asthe fact that, when the largest human cell (the femaleovum) and the smallest (the male spermatozoon) meetand fuse, the biological miracle of conception occurs.(Mind Alive mag.)

ASTUTE

How very astute you are at leaving no trace of yourpassage.

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Their were surprisingly astute in the way they solved thatproblem.

ATONE

Nothing can atone forthe insult of a gift, except thelove of the person who gives it. (Old Chinese proverb)

ATTACH

The notary instructed his clerk to attach (i.e. affix) thecodicil atthe top of the last page of the will.

A legal writ will attach him (i.e. make him liable)forthedebt he owes.

No blame may attach on (or upon) (i.e. adhere to) her for

the accident.Since it consists only of a relatively short strand ofDNA protected by a shell of protein, a virus cannot eator reproduce by itself. What it can do is attachitselfto ahost cell and inject its DNA inside.(David H. Freedman, Discover mag.)

ATTACHMENT

The attac hmen t (i.e. affection) bet ween David andJonathan in the Old Testament became a model for

devoted friendship.The machine had attachmentsforspecial cleaning tasks.The attachmentof a child to an animal (i.e. the bondbetween) can be profound.

ATTACK (N)

A night attack bylong-range bombers destroyed the city.

Most of the household members suffered from an attackofthe flu.

R.L. Stevensons The Lantern-Bearers is an attack on

realism thats unreal.(G.K. Chesterton, Generally Speaking)

ATTACK (V)

The intelligence agent informed us that the enemyplanned to attack withtanks at dawn, againstour weakestpositions.

I will attackyou on this bill, if you introduce it.

The cabinet member decided to attack the oppositionthroughits waffling position on electoral reform.

ATTAIN

I couldnt attain to those heights of achievement in severlifetimes.

ATTEMPT (N)

At least make an attempt atit.

It wasnt the first time they made an attempt on her life

ATTEND

Its your turn to attend to (i.e. take care of) him.

ATTENDANT

Debilitating weakness is one of the symptoms attendanto this particular disease.

Historically, for each 1 percent increase in joblessnesin the U.S. economy, the direct result has been 38,88deaths, 20,240 cardiovascular failures, 494 cases odeath from cirrhosis of the liverattendant to alcoholism920 suicides, and 648 homicides. (Harvey Brenner)

ATTENTIVE

They were singularly attentive to his appeals for reform

ATTITUDE

The actress assumed an attitude ofmock despair.

We cannot escape the Calvinist attitude to money thait is something to be accumulated . . that it is naughty tspend it. (Pierre Berton, The Smug Minority)

Her attitude towardthe course of study changed as heknowledge increased.

ATTRIBUTE (N)

But mercy is above this sceptred sway . . It is an attributto God himself. (Shakespeare)

Kindness is an attribute ofthe humane person.

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ATTRIBUTE (V)

In his book, The Descent of Man, and Selection inRelation to Sex, written 12 years after he published his

m o re famous On the Origin of Species, Da rw i nattributed the origin of human races to our sexualpreferences (the survival of the sexiest). Natural selectionplayed no role, Darwin claimed.(Jared Diamond, Discover mag.)

ATTRIBUTION

Christianity, one star commentator declared, quotingw it h out a t t ri b u t i o n f ro m Disraeli, was completedJudaism or it was nothing.(John Le Carr, The little drummer girl)

ATTUNE

He was thoroughly attuned to their way of life.

AUDIENCE

Our senator has an audience ofthe president on Tuesday.(formal)

I had an audience withthe Spanish Minister. (Disraeli)

AVAILI suggest you avail yourself ofthis rare opportunity.

AVAILABLE

Lenders . . wish . . to have their assets as available astheycan. (Rogers, Oxford Universal Dictionary)

That book is available atyour corner store.

The documents will be available for your perusal thisafternoon.

Here, hospital care is available only in emergencies toinsured persons.

Experts agree that not more than 20% of all positionsavailable on the job market are advertised throughnewspapers, employment centres or placement agencies.This means that over 80% of vacant positions are notadvertised. (Pointe-Claire Job Search Centre, funded byHuman Resources Development Canada)

Mental health is directly proportionate to the numberof perceived options available to any individual. One

who is mentally disturbed often lives in a world in whichalmost every door seems to be closed.(G. Leonard, Esquire mag., Dec. 1982)

This should be available to you within 5 days.

AVENGE

The father will avenge the murder of his son bybringingthe criminal to justice.

Hitlers victims seek to avenge themselves on (or upon) theNazi perpetrators who have so far escaped punishment.

AVERSE

The boy (Frederick William II) was of an easy-going and

pleasure-loving disposition, averse from sustained effort ofany kind. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

To be averse to something indicates opposition on thesubjects part. (Michael Gartner: Advertising Age)

Our advice is to use differentfrom and averse to.(Fowler, The Kings English)

Note: Oxfords Kings English findsfrom uncomfortable;prefers to in all instances.

AVERT

She averted her eyesfrom the ghastly tableau.

AWAKE

The young campers awake atsunrise to the sound of thebugle.

He awokefrom his stupor, but it was too late to catch thetrain.

AWAKEN

Scientists are awakening to its (Antarcticas) criticalimportance as the storehouse of 70 percent of the worldsfresh water supply and the source of much of itsweather.(Lennard Bickel, Antarctica, at the other end of the world)

AWARE

In man, evolution became aware ofself. (Julian Huxley)

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AWAY

Stay awayfrom the fire.

The author decided to do awaywith (i.e. delete) his last

chapter altogether.

AWKWARD

He proved a wk ward a t the task of organizing thcomputer program.

Although awkward on land, the vehicle was efficient ithe water.

The child was awkward in her gestures.

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BABBLEHe babbled, for a long time, about the generosity andgoodness of his brother. (Charles Dickens)

I bubble in the eddying bays, I babble on the pebbles.(Tennyson, Brook)

Griefs too sacred to be babbled to the world.

(D. Mitchell, Dream Life)

BACKMake sure you backagainstthe wall.

Our house backed onto a cliff.

Why dont you backthe car out ofthe garage?

OK, nowbackall the way to the street.

On a hot day, she backs her car underthose trees.

BAFFLE

I am baffled (i.e. puzzled) byhis position in this dispute.

The vessel baffled (i.e. struggled) witha gale throughouther voyage.

We can baffle (i.e. confuse) the enemywith this ruse.

BAIT

The promise of riches was the baitforgold prospectors.

BALANCE (N)

Balance oftrade is . . the estimation of the difference ofvalue between the exports and imports of a country.(Oxford Universal Dictionary)

Try to strike a happy balance between capitalism andfreedom in your speech.

BALANCE (V)

Im trying to balance (i.e. weigh) his arguments againstyours.

Can you balance (i.e. steady) yourself on one foot?

The seal was balancing(i.e. steadying) the ball on its nose.

Make sure this set of figures balances with (i.e. equals)that one.

BALK

The horse balked atthe jump, unseating its rider.

BAMBOOZLE

They were bamboozledby

the con artist.

So the lawye r bamboozled h i m in t o accepting thepoliticians rather weak defence.

BAN (N)

Individuals have always had to live under the ban ofasociety that could not tolerate dissent.

The city council placed a ban on parking cars on the streetovernight.

BAN (V)Following a Prussian decree of 1816 which banned(i.e.barred)Jewsfrom the higher ranks of law and medicine,he (the father of Karl Marx) became a Protestant and . .had his six children baptized.(Paul Johnson, Intellectuals)

Good air and sunny skies are banned (i.e. interdicted) tothemforlife.

BANDY

The ball was bandied (i.e. tossed) from one player toanother withlightning speed.

Are you ready to bandy(i.e. exchange) words withme?

BANISH

Romeo was banishedfrom Verona.

I am banishingthemfrom this countryforlife.

Napoleon was banished to Elba.

BB

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BAR

At the Lateran Council in 1215, they (the Jews) werebarred from owning land and all military and civil

functions.(from Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 1974)

They are barringhimfrom the next jazz festival.

BARE (A)

He swept the driveway bare ofleaves.

BARGAIN (V)

The woman bargained (i.e. haggled) almost an hour withthe merchantforthe antique vase she wanted.

He is bargainingfor(i.e. expecting) good weather.

BARK

The huge dog barked atevery passerby.

The sergeant barked his orders to the company.

He is barkingup the wrong tree.

BARRIER

The Rocky Mountains were a barrierbetween Canadas

coasts till the railway was built.North America was a barrierto Europeans trying to reachAsia by sea.

BASE (N)

The financial experts outlined a sound base (i.e. program)forreform of the economy.

The climbers rested at the base (i.e. bottom) ofthemountain.

BASE (V)

I am basingmy conclusion on your behaviour up to now.

Chinese medicine is based on the belief that a life force,or qi, flows through 14 channels in the body and can bestimulated by the insertion of needles (at the 360acupuncture points).(George Howe Colt, Life mag.)

Biologists dont know how patterns are created on realmollusks. But mathematical models b a s e d o n

hypothetical interacting chemicals match them wituncanny accuracy. (Carl Zimmer, Discovver mag. 1992

BASIS

Isidores Etymologies . . became the basi s for ateaching in the West for about 800 years.(Paul Johnson, The History of Christianity)

It is necessary therefore to have a basisforour discussio(i.e. shared assumptions).(J. Bright, Oxford English Dictionary)

The pro s e c u t o rs accusations had no b a s i s ( i . foundation) in fact.

The basis (i.e. principal ingredient) ofthis cosmetpreparation is a vegetable oil.

BASK

She loved to baskin the sun.

BATHE

From sunrise to sunset, Mar s b a t h e s i n d az z l inlasershine. (National Geographic)

He bathed the seedling witha secret chemical.

BATTENMelancholy sceptics with a taste for carrion, who batte(i.e. glut) on the hideous facts of history persecutioninquisitions. (Emerson, Oxford English Dictionary)

BATTER

She was battered byher husband at least twice last year.

The sample was battered withbeams of charged atoms(The Economist mag.)

Sam wasnt beating my rugs, he was batteringthem wita baseball bat.

BATTLE (N)

Lymphocytes, the small white blood cells that lead thbodys battle againstinfection and cancer.(Rob Wechsler, Discover mag.)

The professors engaged in a battle ofwords over thprecise meaning of a term.

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The revival has ignited a bitter lobbying battle betweenBig Steel and its customers.(Christine Gorman, Time mag.)

BATTLE (V)

One should never put on ones best trousers to go out to

battleforfreedom and truth.(Henrik Ibsen, An Enemy of the People)

The waves battled withthe winds.

BEAM (V)

The madman wanted his manifesto b e a m e d ( i . e .broadcast) aroundthe world.

Radio programs were beamed at (i.e. transmitted to)Eastern Europefrom England.

His moon face beamed (i.e. smiled warmly) down atherfrom its great height.

A compact disc (CD) stores music in digital form insome 15 billion microspic pits on its aluminum surface. . a laser (then) scans the pits and beams(i.e. transmits)their information to a computer chip for conversion intosound.(Stephen Koepp, Time mag.)

BEAR (V)

Her song was borne (i.e. carried) on the wind.

Your complaint doesnt bearon (i.e. has no relation to) thesubject at all.

Our guns were brought to bear(i.e. bracketed) upon (oron) the enemys batteries.

There is nothing in the world so much admired as a manwho knows how to bear (i.e. suffer) unhappiness withcourage. (Seneca)

She bore (i.e. endured) her pain withgreat fortitude.

BEARING

How does that have a bearingon this case?

BEAT(V)

The rioters are beating(i.e. pounding) againsttheir cellbars with their tin cups.

The ship beat(i.e. ploughed) alongthe rocky coast.

His mission: to beat (i.e. best) the archetypal mind-polluters attheir own game. (James Geary, Time mag.)

They shall b e a t (i.e. hammer) their swords i n t oplowshares. (Isaiah 2:4)

They beat(i.e. bared) a path to his door.

And the winds blew, and beatupon that house; and it fellnot: for it was founded upon a rock. (Matthew 7:25)

He had beaten (i.e. smashed) the poor animal to a pulp.The mothers heart beats (i.e. pounds) withjoy at thenews of her sons success.

He was beaten (i.e. struck) withsticks tillhe lay senseless.

BECKON

She beckoned to him imperiouslyfrom the dais.He is beckoningme withhis finger.

BECOME

Dont you care what becomes of(i.e. happens to) thevaluable library book.

It does not become (i.e. befit) us to neglect our civic dutyby failing to vote.

BECOMING

Her period costume was verybecoming(i.e. flattering) tothe aging actress.

BEG

He begged (i.e. asked)foralms from the people leavingchurch.

The nuns went door to door, beggingfoodforthe poor.

Please dont beat him; I begof(i.e. beseech) you.

BEGIN

I will begin afterbreakfast.

The blood drops began atthe door.

I must begin bydoing something. Anything.

Professional pianists and violinists . . almost always beginto play bythe age of seven or eight.(James Shreeve, Discover mag., Oct. 96)

He had begunfrom a point directly north of here.

The war began on (or upon) a soft, sunny morning.

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Civilizations decay quite leisurely. For 250 years aftermoral weakening began in Greece with the Sophists,Hellenic civilization continued to produce masterpiecesof literature and art.

(Will and Ariel Durant, The Story of Civilization)The (American Civil) war began overthe expansion

westward of slavery, not its elimination.(The Economist)

Im beginningto lose patience with you.

Dont begin underany circumstances.

If you would change the face of the world, begin withthe face in the mirror. (Anon.)



BEHALF

The lawyer spoke eloquently on behalfofhis client.

BEHAVE

Electrons had been thought to exist only as subatomicparticles until . . the quantum theory suggested thatelectrons could behave as both particles and waves.(Jamie Murphy, Time mag.)

They behaved likemadmen.

They behave ruthlessly toward(or to) their tenants.

BEHAVIOUR

The comedians behaviourbeforean audience commandedattention.

Children should be taught what is acceptable behaviourin a church, theatre or concert hall, as well as on publicvehicles and on the street.

The behaviourofsome individuals toward the elderly isinconsiderate.

BELIEF

There were numerous varieties of Christianity which . .centred on beliefin the resurrection.(Paul Johnson, The History of Christianity)

Strangely, sickness onto death causes most people tobetray their beliefin God.

(Walt) Whitman wanted his poems to embody aimplicit beliefin the the wisdom, health, mystery, beautof every process, every concrete object, every human another existence, not only considerd from the point o

view of all, but of each.(Christopher Patton quoting Whitman)

BELIEVE

Economists are one of the last groups of professionalon earth who still b e l i e ve i n perpetual motiomachines. (Paul Erlich)

BELONG

The tensions in a harp are so tremendous anunrelenting that it becomes unplayable after fifty yearand belongs on a dump orin a museum.(Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Jailbird)

Your mothers portrait belongs overthe fireplace.

Most fruit trees belong to the rose family, includinpeach, apricot, plum, cherry, apple and pear trees. And

yes - the strawberry, which is considered a tree becausit has a wooden stem.

That gift belongs underthe Christmas tree.

His book belongs withthe classics.

Note: As for all VVs, this versatile verb can be followed ba variety of prepositions, whichever best describes thaction that follows.

BELOVED

It gave the rustic scenery the kind of self-containeserenity beloved ofromantic painters of the nineteentcentury. (The Economist)

BENEFICIAL

Why are these tax breaks beneficial to everyone but me?

BENEFIT (N)

The actors staged a benefitforone of their fellow artisin distress.

You should give him the benefit ofthe doubt.

That is of very little benefitto me.

No t e: Benefits o f the benefactor; benefits t o t hbeneficiary (Fowler, The Kings English)

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BENEFIT (V)

That child is so ill, hes unlikely to benefitbyany kind ofholiday.

Only a few privileged individuals out of the totalnumber of people who have a given disease everbenefit

from the results of sophisticated medical technology, andeven fewer doctors develop the skill to use them.(Ivan Illich, Toward a History of Need)

BENT (N)

They all have a bentfor(i.e. bias to) the obvious.

BEND (V)

They left the bar bent(i.e. intent) on mayhem.

BEQUEATH

It is this idolatry of self which they (the Romans) havebequeathed to us in the form of patriotism.(Simone Weil)

BEREAVE

She was bereaved ofthree generations of her family in the

Holocaust.He was soon bereftofall his worldly goods.

BESET

He was beset(i.e. attacked) byhis neighbours as soon ashe stepped out the door.

She was beset(i.e. harassed) byproblems all her marriedlife.

He then besets (i.e. studs) the ring withpriceless gems.

They were caught besetting(i.e. studding) jewelrywith

fake gems.

BESOTTED

The next morning, besotted (i.e. stupefied) withdrink, hetook the ferry back to the mainland.

She was besotted (i.e. infatuated) withwords.

BESTOW

He rashly bestowed the award on (or upon) his ownbrother.

BIG

Theres nothing big(i.e. elevating) aboutbigotry.(Charles N. Prieur)

Thats big(i.e. generous) ofyou.

She is bigwithchild (i.e. pregnant)

BILK

The vagrant bilked him ofall his savings

BIND

They bound (i.e. covered) the volumes in red leather.

Opiate drugs like morphine and heroin can bind (i.e.adhere) to cells in the brain.(Rob Wechsler, Discover mag.)

Make sure you b i nd (i.e. tie) their hands w it h t h oseropes.

BLAME (N)

She put the whole blame on me.

BLAME (V)

Doppler radars will give pilots advance warning ofwind shear conditions, which have been blamed foranumber of plane crashes. (Gordon Graff)

He blamed the whole mess on his brother.

I blam e it o n h e red i ty.(Evelyn Waugh, A little learning)

BLEND

The diplomats manner was a skilled blend oftact andgood humour.

BLEND

The town and country met and blended (i.e. becameone) in almost perfect harmony.(M. Moorcock, Oxford English Dictionary)

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Like chameleons, squid have chro m a t o p h o res pigment cells in their skin that allow them to changecolour to blend (i.e. melt) into their surroundings.(Mark Kemp, Discover mag.)

Her manner was smoothly blended (i.e was a smoothmixture) ofgraciousness and condescension.(World Book Dictionary)

The four escapees blended (i.e. mingled closely) withthecrowd.

Pleasant Spring scents . . to blend (i.e. mix in) withtherobuster aroma of coffee and fried bacon.(P.G. Wodehouse, Oxford English Dictionary)

BLESS

They were blessed (i.e. prayed for) bythe chaplain beforegoing into battle.

She blessed (i.e. thanked) him forhis kindness.

The bellmans drowsy charm to bless (i.e. protect) thedoorsfrom nightly harm.(Milton, Oxford English Dictionary)

The Word liveth . . ; and the nations shall bless (i.e.sanctify) themselves in Him.(Jer. 4:2, Oxford English Dictionary)

I was blessed (i.e. endowed) withgood health all my life.

We found him b l e s s i n g (i.e. praying over) hiscongregation withall manner of wild incantations.

BLIND (A)

Winston Churchill . . though alert to danger in India . .was always blind to perils further east.(Paul Johnson, A History of the Modern World)

BLIND (V)

Clouds blind (i.e. hide) the starsfrom my view.(Oxford English Dictionary)

His prejudice blinds him (i.e. closes his eyes) to the factsof the case.

She was suddenly blinded (i.e. made sightless) bythe sun.

Blind with(i.e. blinkered by) science.(Oxford English Dictionary)

BLOCK (V)

The whole street was blocked bythe fallen crane.

At rush hours, the main arteries are blocked withtraffic

They blocked the road withtheir trucks.

BLOT(N)

After a lifetime of public service, his financial misdemeanowas a tragic bloton his reputation.

BLOW(N)

It was like a blowto the pit of my stomach.(Anthony Hyde)

BLOW(V)

The old man watched the dry autumn leaves blowacro

the road.

The factory whistle blows at7 a.m.

The innkeeper used a small bellows to blowthe embeinto flame.

The wind blewall the leaves into my garden.

It is not good table manners to blowon your food.

The sudden gust of wind blewmy newspaper underthporch.

The wind is blowingthroughthe cracks in the house.


BLUNDER

The horses had to blundertheir way alongsidethe river

The driver blundered into the wrong lane.

He blundered upon a scouting party and was takeprisoner.

BOARD (V)I boarded (i.e. had my meals) with the sailors at thhostel.

He is boardinghis windows against(i.e. shielding themfrom) the hurricane withbarn siding.

BOAST (V)

He couldnt help boastingabouthis deed.

To boastofa virtue is to hollow it with pride. (Anon.)

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She boasted to him abouther infidelities.

Note: Sometimes, boast is a transitive verb and needs nopreposition topre-position the object. As in:

Critic . . A person who boasts himself hard to please,because nobody tries to please him.(Ambrose Pierce, The Devils Dictionary)

BOAT(V)

They boated down the river, singing at the top of theirlungs.

Leopoldine, daughter of Victor Hugo, drowned with heryoung husband, while boatingon the Seine . . His otherdaughter, Adle, died mad.(Charles McCarry, National Geographic mag.)

BOGGLE

The mind just boggles atthis concept of the universe.

BOIL (V)

Water deprived of its air will notboil at212 F.

Martyrs were stoned, or crucified, or burned in fire, or

boiled in oil. (Tennyson, Oxford English Dictionary)

I want it boiled down into (i.e. reduced to) a sentence.

The mob surged and boiled (i.e. stormed) througheveryroom of the palace.

The revolutionaries boiled with rage at the injusticesinflicted upon the hapless serfs.

BOOK (V)

Shall I book(i.e. charge) it to you or to your father? (British)

BOOST (N)

Were relying on you to give a boost(i.e. encouragement)to your Alma Mater.

Inflation was increased by a boost(i.e. surge) in prices.

The child needed a boost(i.e. lift) overthe fence.

BORDER (V)

Goethe said that many of his best poems were writtenin a condition that bordered on (i.e. approximated)somnambulism. (Lyall Watson, Supernature)

The garden is bordered with(i.e. hedged by) evergreens.

BORN

We are born forcooperation, as are the feet, the hands,the eyelids and the upper and lower jaws.

(Marcus Aurelius)Children born in Italy in 1348, the year of the GreatPlague, grew no more than 24 teeth instead of thenormal 32. (Elwin Newman, Sunday Punch)

They were born intowealth.

We are born oflove. It is the only principle of existenceand its only end. (Benjamin Disraeli)

It is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that weare pardoned, it is in dying that we are born again toeternal life. (St. Francis of Assisi)

A baby is born withprefabricated flexure lines on itshand; and what can be the survival value of these?(Hugh Montefiore, The Probability of God)

BORROW

The original idea of our civilization, the only one thatwe have notborrowed from the Greeks, is the idea of thespirituality of labour. (Simone Weil)

BOUNCE (V)

She bounced (i.e. sprang)from her chair in a fury.The children bounced (i.e. bounded) on the trampolinewith great glee, until one of them b o u n c e d ( i . e .rebounded) offthe edge and fell to the floor.

One (guard) even bounced upon the (Kings) bed andfelt every inch for any threatening thing.(George Garrett, Death of the Fox)

The ball bounces (i.e. bounds) overthe wall occasionally.



BOUND (V)

The property was bounded (i.e. hemmed in) bythe riveron one side and woods on the other.

They left at dawn, bound (i.e. headed)forthey knew notwhat adventure.

The dancer bounds (i.e. leaps) into the air as if free of gravity.

The retriever loved to bound (i.e. leap) throughthe tall grass.

She was bound (i.e. compelled) to go for it.

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BRIGHTEN

Only a very tired seagull would have brightened atthesight of its dank greenstone cliffs.

(Jonathan Raban, Coasting)The new owners brightened the old house with freshpaint.

BRIM (V)

Current cosmology is brimmingwith exotic theories.(The Economist)

BRING

The government intends to bringa court action against

companies which pollute the environment.The family of a landless Indian peasant now spendsabout six hours a day merely finding the firewood itneeds for cooking and heating. Another four to six hoursare spentbringingwaterfrom a well.(Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave)

The only absolute response to absolute power is theabsolute love which our Lord brought into the world.(Malcolm Muggeridge)

The new lens broughtthe scene into sharp relief.

Why dont you bringhim throughthe garden?Speaking about the late master lyricist Alan J. Lerner,historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. said, Few men in ourmelancholy age brought so much pleasure to so manypeople. (Time mag.)

Bringit to me now!

The average cost of developing a new drug and bringingit to market is $350 million to $500 million.(Gary Taubes, Discover mag., Feb. 99)

Why wait? Bringit withyou this evening.

BRISTLE (V)

I bristle atthe very thought of it.

Transparent, bristling withweapons and possessing aHoudini-like ability to slip between other cells, the

white cells are the bodys chief fighters (against disease).(Dr. Paul Brand,& Philip Yancey, In His Image)

He would bristle all the land withcastles.(Lytton, Oxford English Dictionary)

All France bristles withindignation.

(World Book Dictionary)

BROOD (V)

They brooded on the terror that would come with thenight.

Jackson Pollock (was) a genius whose spirit continues to

brood overAmerican culture.(Robert Hughes, Time mag.)

She brooded upon her childs deathly pallor.

BRUSH (V)

It is impolite to brush againstsomeone on a bus, if this

can be avoided.He brushed byme as he left the house.

The little boy was told to cheer up and brush the tearsfrom his eyes.

BUBBLE (V)

Some of the earths strangest creatures live aroundhydrothermal vents hot springs that bubble from

volcanic fissures in the ocean depths.(Discover mag., Oct. 96)

BUCKLE (V)

The mother buckled her child into the car seat.

BUILD

Mitochondria, like chloroplasts, are built according toan elaborate blueprint. (Life Science Library, The Cell)

Build better schoolrooms for the boy than cells andgibbets for the man. (Eliza Cook)

The robin had builtits nest in the eavestrough. Na t u re has b u i l t its own carefully constru c t e delectronic devices into all organisms.(Life Science Library, The Cell)

Nanotechnologits . . believe in a bottom-up approach.Take atoms and molecules . . and custom buildthem intolarger objects ultra-strong materials, designer foods,even tiny robots. (Michael Krantz, Time mag.)

Proteins are very large molecules built ofsimpler unitscalled amino acids. (Mind Alive mag.)

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Istanbul (known for 1600 years as Constantinople) isthe only city in the world to be built on two continents.(James Stewart-Gordon, Readers Digest)

It was the first bridge builtoverthat river.


BUILDUP (N)

Glaucoma is the buildup offluid in the eyeball, causingincreased pressure and eventual damage to the opticnerve. (Andrew Purvis, Time mag.)

BULK (V)

The question of the Russian zone of occupation inGermany therefore did not bulk in our thoughts or inAngloAmerican discussions, nor was it raised by any ofthe leaders at Teheran.(Winston Churchill about the Iron Curtain)

BURDEN (V)

Let us not burden our remembrance with a heavinessthat is gone. (William Shakespeare)

BURN (VV)

She was burned brown bythe sun.

Thanks to electromagnetism, the sun does not explode,butburnssmoothlyforbillions of years.(Sheldon Lee Glashow, Discover mag., 1989)

Many people didnt even know of the atoms existence until that day in 1945 when a frightful flash burnedthe word atom into the mind of modern man.(Heinz Haberb, The Walt Disney story of our friend the

atom)Candles burn in every corner of the church.

Lightning struck the old farmhouse, and it burned to theground.

The cigarette had burntthroughthe upholstery.

She burned withdesire.

Oh, oh, oh, Falstaff cries as the supposedly merry wivesof Windsor burn him withtapers.(Otto Friedrick, Time mag.)


BURST (V)

With the sudden heat, the apple trees burstinto bloom.

The Fourth of July fireworks burst into being a seconahead of their muffled bangs. (John Updike)

He suddenly burst(i.e. charged) throughthe doorway.

In August 1986, bubbles of carbon diox i daccumulating at the bottom of (Lake Nyos iCameroon) . . burst to the surface; a blanket of denscarbon dioxide and water vapor spread over nearbvillages, killing cattle and 1,700 people.

(Discover mag., Oct. 1988)

The pantry was bursting(i.e. overloaded) withevery kinof baked delicacy.

BURY(VV)

She was buried bythe same priest who had married heonly a few weeks before.

They buried their beloved father in a small orcharwithin sight of the homestead.

They are buryinghim underthe bridge, where he died.

BUSY

I never thought I would be this busyin my old age.

Im sorry, but Im too busyto attend the meeting tonigh

He was busywithanother set of problems.

BUY (V)

She ran out to buycigarettes atthe corner store.

I boughta dollforAnita and a teddy bear for Sue.

They always bought their fish from the same passinpeddler.

They only buyfruit in season.

Consumers are buyingtoo much on credit.

It was possible in the 19th century for a soldier to buhimself out ofthe army.


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CALL (V)

I called (i.e. stopped for a short spell) athis shop on theway home.

Why dont you have her sister callforher (i.e. pick her up).

He calledfor(i.e. demanded) his morning cup of coffee.

Americans must call on more brain space to learn asecond language than they did to assimilate English.( Sh a ron Begley with John Carey and Ray Sa w h i l l,

Newsweek mag., 1983)I called to her as she crossed the square.

CALVE

In 1982, an enormous chunk of freshwater ice calvedfrom an ice shelf on Ellesmere Island.

CAPABLE

Only a virtuous people are c a p a b l e o f fre edo m .

(Benjamin Franklin)Stem cells (are) capable ofgenerating an endless supplyof red cells, white cells and platelets.(Peter Radetsky, Discover mag.)

The new digital video disc (DVD) . . is capable ofstoring 4.7 gigabytes of data per side enough to showa full-length feature film with stereo sound and a cinema-quality picture. (The Economist mag, June 1, 96)

CAPACITATE

Cu r rent re s e a rch shows the human brain to bem a rvelously designed and c a p a c i t a t e d b eyo n d t h ewonders with which it was invested by innocentimagination. (Scientific American mag.)

We are infinitely capacitated forthe future.(Dr. Lewis Thomas, The Lives of a Cell)

CAPACITYThe human liver has a greatcapacity forregeneration(i.e. ability to regenerate) . . and can rebuild a large

portion of itself within a month.(Harold M. Schneck Jr., New York Times)

The capacity(i.e. volume) ofthat reservoir is staggering.

CAPTURE (V)

A newly discovered molecule is thought to be acomponent of interstellar dust. Its essence is bettercaptured byR. Buckminster Fullers geodesic dome, the

many-sided structure whose perfect symmetry ensuresperfect stability. (Sarah Boxer, Discover mag.)

He captures the spawning salmon witha net.

CARE (V)

I just dont care (i.e. worry) aboutthat.

Its incumbent on the healthy to carefor(i.e. look after)the sick.

She doesnt carefor(i.e. like) candies.

I think she is caringforhis two children this afternoon.

CARELESS

He was careless aboutdetails.

Yet a boy careless (i.e. having no care) ofbooks.(Wordsworth, Universal Oxford Dictionary)

CARRY

One hair-thin strand of (pure glass fiber) can carry(i.e.tra n sp ort) as many telephone convers a tion s as 625

copper wires and withgreater clarity.(Stephen Koepp, Readers Digest)

Because babies usuallycarrytheir mothers antibodiesforthe first year or so of their life, all of them eventhe perfectly healthy ones will test positive usingantibody tests. (Yvonne Baskin, Discover mag. 1990)

In four centuries, the European slave trave carried overten million slavesfromAfrica, over sixty percent of thembetween 1721 and 1820.(Paul Johnson, A History of Christianity)

CC

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CELEBRATE

Until the first half of the 20th century, the conquestand colonization of a weaker nation was celebrated asa

patriotic event. Today, even mild economic exploitationsare loudly condemned across the world as imperialism.(F.M. Esfandiary, Optimism One)

They are c e l e b r a t i n g their release i n a bistro inMontmartre.

They celebra ted their 40th wedding anniver sa ry onWednesday.

Lord Manny Shinwell celebrated his 100th birthdaywitha good cigar and several flagons of whisky.(James Brady, Advertising Age)

CENSOR

All references to actual persons were censored from hisscript.

CENTRAL

That was central to his debate.

CENTER, CENTRE

Supreme authority was at last cen tred in a single

person. (Fowlers Modern English Usage)The eyes usuallycenter on a point about one-third downthe page. Thats why they call that point the opticalcenter.

Note: NEVER centre aboutor around

CERTAIN

Are you certain aboutthat?

I am certain ofonly one thing at the moment.

CHALK (V)

She quickly chalked her name on the blackboard.

This difference has been chalked up to a presumedinvolvement in language processing.(James Shreeve, Discover mag., Oct. 96)

CHAMPIONSHIP

The majority (of the council of regency) deeply resentedhis championship (i.e. advocacy) ofthe poor against

greedy landlords and capitalists.(Encyclopedia Britannica re the Earl of Somerset)

They won the tennis championship (i.e. supremacy) ofthe world for the second year running.

CHANCE (N)

Her chance ofsucceeding was one in a million.

He had no chance (i.e. opportunity) to save himself.

CHANCE (V)

They chanced (i.e. happened) on (or upon) the fossil onthe first day.

You never know; you might chance on the right numbertomorrow.

CHANGE (N)

Achange in the weather is enough to renew the worldand ourselves. (Marcel Proust)

After a quick change ofclothes, he returned to his office.

Each photo incorporates a small changeto

the original.

CHANGE (V)

The basic idea is that synapses (in the brain) change inefficiencyaccording to their frequency of use.(The Economist mag., June 13, 87)

His smile changed to furyatthe mention of that name.

Irradiation changesthe molecular composition of foodin unpredictable ways . . So does barbecuing.(Dennis Demlinger)

The situation changedfrom bad toworse.Plants can do something no animal can do: changenonliving substance into living substance, i.e. inorganicinto organic.

She changed her confession underduress.


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CHOOSE

The writer chooses according to preferences learned frompersonal experience.

He chose amongall the horses in that corral.She is busychoosing between the three cookies on that tray.

The average doctor (in 1990) has some 50,000 drugs tochoose fromwhen writing out a prescription. Bewilderedby the choice, few doctors ever prescribe

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